On Nov. 6, Judge Elizabeth Burns will be on the Democratic ballot line for the office of state Supreme Court Justice for the Sixth Judicial District. The Judicial Convention to select the Democratic candidate was held in Binghamton Sept. 22.

The Sixth Judicial District covers 10 counties, including Madison County and parts of multiple Assembly districts. Each Assembly district within the Sixth Judicial District sent delegates to the convention. These delegates were selected in June by nominating petitions, similar to the process for other political candidates.

The Madison County Democratic Committee had endorsed Melissa Stearns of Oneida for Supreme Court Justice because of her long experience as head attorney in the office of Justice Don Cerio. At the Sept. 22 convention, all the delegates from across the Sixth Judicial District met and cast their votes, and Judge Elizabeth Burns of Cortland won the Democratic nomination.

Melissa Stearns of Oneida will not appear on the ballot.

While we were disappointed that Melissa did not get selected, Judge Elizabeth Burns is also a great candidate. Judge Burns has served as City Court Judge in the City of Cortland since 1998, and is also the drug treatment court judge and acting county court judge for drug court felonies for Cortland County.

She also served as special counsel to the administrative judge for multiple town and village courts across the Sixth District. She began her career representing low-income people in civil cases. She has written, “I strive everyday to be a judge who treats everyone with consideration and respect, is impartial, truly listens, considers each party’s position and arguments, and arrives at the decision that is correct and just.”

This state Supreme Court position is one we get to vote for. I hope this information is useful in considering the qualifications of Democratic nominee Judge Elizabeth Burns.